Rama Krishna Sangem
Jana Sena president and Power Star Pawan Kalyan who is currently in Delhi lobbying hard with BJP top brass to bring Telugu Desam Party into the ruling NDA fold. Pawan who attended NDA meeting on July 18, Tuesday is still in the national capital for further talks with BJP leadership on the issue. He already raised the issue with BJP president JP Nadda.
On July 19, Wednesday Pawan called on Home Minister Amit Shah and is likely to meet some more senior leaders on Thursday too. According to sources, the actor-turned politician is trying hard to see that anti-YSR Congress votes in Andhra Pradesh were not divided between Jana Sena-BJP and TDP. Congress is a minor force and the Left too is insignificant in AP
Interestingly, Pawan is currently is in touch with two parties – BJP, as an ally and TDP, as a potential ally. BJP has officially forged an alliance with Pawan’s Jana Sena and maintains that there is no change in their relationship. On the other hand, Pawan is interested in going with Chandrababu Naidu led TDP, a bigger force in AP. Pawan during his recent tour of Godavari districts made it clear that he would go all out to ensure anti-Jagan votes are not split.
TDP willing to join NDA
TDP president and former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is ready to join BJP led NDA, so that the three parties – BJP, TDP and Jana Sena can together easily defeat YCP. Naidu hasn’t been invited to the July 18 meeting of NDA, but, he is hopeful of an invitation from BJP leadership sometime later. Interestingly, Naidu who played a key role in Congress led anti-Modi front before 2018-19 is now keeping away from the opposition camp.
Naidu’s logic is this: He had to pull out of NDA government before 2019 elections for the sake of achieving special status for AP. But, now that the issue has been sidelined, there is no point in pursuing it. For Naidu, the important thing is to defeat CM Jagan who is sure of a second term in 2024. However, Naidu is not confident of winning polls on his own and needs the support of Pawan and BJP, if possible.
The problem is Pawan is still hoping to convince BJP leadership to join hands TDP and form a three party alliance in AP. Sources close to him say the actor is undecided what if BJP wants to keep Naidu away. “If situation demands, Pawan will go with TDP, and leave BJP, because Naidu has a vote share of close to 32-35 per cent, while BJP commands less than 4 per cent votes,” said a former MLA close to Pawan while talking to Excel India on Wednesday.
Some people in BJP say, PM Modi is still averse to take Naidu into NDA for the latter’s role in forging an anti-BJP alliance before 2019 elections. But, the same people say that in politics compulsions play bigger role than old rivalries. Another problem is CM Jagan’s excellent relations with both PM Modi and Amit Shah too are coming in the way of BJP going with TDP.
CM Jagan who is inherently anti-Congress in nature, has been with Modi led BJP right from the beginning, particularly after 2019. YCP supported all crucial bills of the Centre in both the Houses of Parliament and backed their candidates for president and vice-president posts. Of course, so is TDP, but PM Modi has every reason to trust Jagan more than Naidu. For the PM’s point of view Naidu is unreliable ally.
Though Jagan’s YCP hasn’t been invited to July 18 NDA meeting, the CM is considered to be a friend of NDA in times of testing. But, Jagan is not ready to give any seats to BJP or Jana Sena, while Naidu is offering formal seat adjustment with the saffron camp. This is a sort of Y Junction dilemma for BJP to chose between Jagan and Pawan-Naidu combine. So, now Pawan Kalyan’s task is cut out against this backdrop.
True..n there is a chance to BJP..to take decision after elections.